University of Georgia Athletics
1998-99 RELEASES
June 28, 2006 | Women's Basketball
- September 7, 1999: Millers Among Naismith Favorites
- September 1, 1999: 1999-2000 Schedule Released
- July 13, 1999: Millers, U.S. settle for World University Silver
- July 10, 1999: Millers, U.S. defeat Russia to reach World University gold medal game
- July 9, 1999: Millers, USA reach World University semis
- July 5, 1999: Millers help U.S. to victory in World University opener
- June 28, 1999: Millers Lead U.S. to Spanish Tourney Title
- June 11, 1999: Landers Adds Schutz to Staff
- May 25, 1999: Millers Named to World University Games Team
- April 19, 1999: Lady Bulldogs Add Second Spring Signee
- April 9, 1999: Lady Dogs Ink Nation's Top JUCO Standout
- March 8, 1999
- March 1, 1999
- February 22, 1999
- February 15, 1999
- February 8, 1999
- February 1, 1999
- January 25, 1999
- January 19, 1999
- November 11, 1998: Lady Dogs Open Early Period With Three Signees
September 7, 1999
Kelly Miller Among Top Naismith Candidates;
Coco Miller Also Listed In Pre-Season Favorites
Athens, Ga. ---- Georgia junior Kelly Miller is one of the top 10 pre-season candidates for Naismith National Player of the Year, awarded annually by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. The Tipoff Club released its list of top candidates for the Naismith on Thursday. Coco Miller, Kelly's twin sister, is among 20 additional players listed as "best of the rest" from early balloting.
"It's a tremendous honor not only for Kelly and Coco but also for our basketball program," head coach Andy Landers said. "The hard work and time they have invested to become outstanding basketball players is starting to pay dividends with this type of recognition. Their consideration for the Naismith is warranted."
Kelly Miller was a consensus All-American a year ago, earning a spot on the prestigious Kodak All-America team. She was named first-team All-SEC by both league coaches and media for the second straight year.
Coco Miller has been named first-team All-SEC by league coaches and second-team All-SEC by media in each of her first two seasons in Athens. She was named All-SEC Tournament after leading the Lady Bulldogs to the finals last season.
Saudia Roundtree is the only Lady Bulldog in history to capture the Naismith, doing so in 1996 to become the first woman in SEC history to claim college hoops' top honor.
The 1999-2000 Lady Dogs are expected to be a consensus top-five pick during the pre-season. Georgia returns four starters and lost just one senior from a 27-7 team which reached the Final Four last spring. In addition, three more Lady Bulldogs started seven or more games last season.
Landers, a three-time National Coach of the Year, has averaged 24.3 wins a year during his 20 seasons in Athens -- third best among all active Division I coaches with as much tenure. In addition, Georgia is one of only four schools in the country to reach the NCAA Final Four on five occasions (1983, '85, '95, '96 and '99), and the Lady Dogs' total of 18 NCAA Tournament appearances is the second-best tally in the nation. Georgia now ranks third nationally in all-time NCAA Tournament wins (32) and games played (48) as well.
September 1, 1999
Women's Basketball Schedule Released
Athens, Ga. --- The Georgia women's basketball team, which returns four starters from a Final Four effort, will face many of the teams which also participated in last season's NCAA Tournament during the Lady Bulldogs' 1999-2000 campaign. Georgia will play at least 14 regular-season games against teams invited to the most recent edition of "March Madness," a number which could grow to 17 depending on in-season tournament play.
"While I think last year's team accomplished a great deal in reaching the Final Four, I still think we're a team that needs to develop," head coach Andy Landers said. "This is a schedule that I know will challenge and develop this group. We created a non-conference schedule that is conducive to getting our new players into the flow while also giving us a chance to evaluate them and how they fit in as the team is getting into a flow."
Georgia opens the year in the pre-season National Invitation Tournament with a first-round matchup against Alabama-Birmingham on Monday, November 15 at 7:30 p.m. in Athens. With a victory over the Lady Blazers, the Lady Dogs would face either Virginia Tech or Liberty, both NCAA participants last spring. A potential Final Four rematch with Duke looms in the NIT semifinals. Additional NIT participants that were in the 1999 field of 64 include Boston College, UC-Santa Barbara, Illinois, Maine and St. Mary's (Calif.)
The Lady Dogs will then travel to Orono, Maine, on Nov. 26-27 for the University of Maine's Dead River Company Classic, which features three additional NCAA squads. Georgia will meet Stephen F. Austin in the first round, with Maine hosting St. Francis (Pa.) in the other contest.
The December portion of the schedule is highlighted by contests against three 1999 NCAA teams, with a key matchup in the Southeastern Conference opener, a homecoming of sorts and an SEC-Big 10 date in California. Georgia, which finished third in the SEC last season, opens conference play against LSU, which finished second, on Thursday, Dec. 2 at Stegeman Coliseum. On Sunday, Dec. 12, Georgia travels to Cookeville, Tenn., to meet defending Ohio Valley Conference champ Tennessee Tech, Landers' alma mater. The Lady Bulldogs will take on Ohio State in the first round of The Beach Classic in Long Beach, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 19.
The West Coast trip is the third of three traditional holiday tournaments, which also includes a visit to Houston for the Hilton Houston Hobby Airport Classic.
"All three tournaments present unique challenges," Landers said. "Stephen F. Austin and Maine are both traditionally 20 game winners, while St. Francis has been an NCAA regular for several years. Houston is an up-and-coming program, and the matchup with Ohio State is a very exciting SEC-Big 10 intersectional game."
Georgia kicks off the calendar year with a visit to NCAA participant Illinois on Sunday, Jan. 2 in another SEC-Big 10 showdown. The remaining NCAA teams are among the record eight SEC squads invited to the 1999 tourney -- two games each against Alabama and Florida and single dates versus Auburn, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Tennessee. Georgia will take on the Lady Vols in Athens on Monday, Jan. 17 -- Martin Luther King Jr. Day -- at 1:00 p.m. in an ESPN2 nationally televised date.
"I think the SEC is on the verge of being the most competitive its ever been," Landers said. "It may well be there this season. We welcome the challenges the league presents and look forward to playing our two new round-robin opponents, Alabama and Vanderbilt. They are two teams which have enjoyed great success in our conference and in the NCAAs over the past few years."
The Lady Dogs are expected to be a consensus top-five pick during the pre-season. Georgia lost just one senior from a 27-7 team and returns seven players who started seven or more games.
Landers, a three-time National Coach of the Year, has averaged 24.3 wins a year during his 20 seasons in Athens -- third best among all active Division I coaches with as much tenure. In addition, Georgia is one of only four schools in the country to reach the NCAA Final Four on five occasions (1983, '85, '95, '96 and '99), and the Lady Dogs' total of 18 NCAA Tournament appearances is the second-best tally in the nation. Georgia now ranks third nationally in all-time NCAA Tournament wins (32) and games played (48) as well.
July 13, 1999
Millers, U.S. Settle for World University Silver
Palma de Mallorca, Spain -- The U.S. World University women's basketball team fell to host Spain 57-48 in the Games' championship contest here on Monday, earning the silver medal in the process.
Georgia Lady Bulldog Coco Miller scored six points, but twin sister Kelly was held scoreless in 31 minutes of action. Purdue's Katie Douglas led the U.S. with 14 points.
The Americans suffered through a horrific shooting night, connecting on just 17 of 61 field goal attempts, a paltry 27.9 percent.
The United States opened the game shooting just 20 percent from the floor over the first 11:56 but remained close by converting 8 of 13 attempts at the free throw line.
"We missed some shots in the beginning and we put our heads down after we missed a lot of shots and that really affected our defense and how we wanted to play the game," Douglas said.
After trailing 32-26 at halftime, the U.S. opened the second period with 10-5 spurt to pull within one; however, Spain answered with a 6-0 run of its own to end the threat.
The Spainairds grabbed their largest lead at 51-42 with 1:57 left and never allowed the Americans within five points thereafter.
July 10, 1999
Millers, U.S. defeat Russia to reach World University gold medal game
Calvia, Spain -- Georgia Lady Bulldogs Kelly and Coco Miller and their U.S. National teammates grabbed a lead they would never relinquish midway through the first half en route to an 87-79 win over Russia in the semifinals of the World University Games here on Saturday. The Americans will face Spain in the gold medal game on Monday at 12:30 p.m. ET.
A three-point play by Purdue's Katie Douglas gave the United States a 32-30 lead and ignited a 12-2 spurt by the Americans which gave them a 41-32 advantage with 6:03 left in the first half.
The Russians rebounded to tie the game at 67-67 with 11:38 in the game; however, Notre Dame's Ruth Riley scored successive buckets and the U.S. slowly rebuilt its lead to 85-77 with 3:38 remaining.
Douglas scored a team-high 18 points for the Americans, while Kelly and Coco chipped in 17 and 10 points, respectively. Kelly logged a team-high 35 minutes while adding three assists and two steals as well. Coco was 5-of-8 from the field with three assists and four steals in 20 minutes of play.
"We knew we had to get off to a quick start like we had in the other games, and I was really fired up for this game and was really excited to play," Kelly Miller said. "They came back a little in the second half, but we're strong enough and motivated enough to hang in there with it. We never let then get the lead back up and that was important. We just kept taking it to them and that helped us win." UConn's Svetlana Abrossimova, who headlined the Russian roster, scored 14 points on 3-of-13 shooting from the floor. She was 7-of-9 from the line.
The Americans have already defeated their gold medal opponent 56-52 in a World University tuneup, but will face Spain without starting point guard Brandi McCain, who suffered a sprained knee in the World University opener.
July 9, 1999
Millers, USA reach World University semis
Calvia, Spain -- The U.S. National team which includes Georgia Lady Bulldogs Kelly and Coco Miller rebounded from a Wednesday loss in pool play to defeat Lithuania in the quarterfinals of the World University Games here Friday.
The Americans will face Russia in semifinal action Saturday at noon Eastern time, while Spain faces Ukraine in the other medal-round matchup. "The difference between tonight and our loss the other night was that we weathered a storm," said U.S. and Penn State head coach Rene Portland. "We learned from our mistakes, we did a better job of putting our heads down, not getting frustrated, and believing in what we were doing."
The U.S. never trailed in the contest, grabbing an early 9-2 advantage. The Americans connected on 60.6 percent of their field goal attempts in the opening half and finished the period with a 17-7 run to help build a 51-29 lead at the break.
Cold shooting plaugued the U.S. throughout the second stanza and allowed the Lithuanians to eventually pull within five points at 67-62 with 5:44 remaining. The Americans responded with a 9-1 to regain a 76-63 lead with 2:50 left and seal the victory.
Kelly Miller scored 10 points, grabbed six rebounds and collected three steals in a team-high 30 minutes of action. Coco added five points and a block in 11 minutes.
Purdue's Camille Cooper and Katie Douglass led the U.S. with 20 and 19 points, respectively. The victory kept the U.S. medal hopes alive. The Americans finished second in their group after a disappointing 81-70 loss to Ukraine in the final day of pool competition.
"We came out here for one purpose and that was to win the gold," said Douglas. "Every game could be your last game and we just came out with a lot of determination and a lot of intensity tonight."
July 5, 1999
Millers help U.S. to victory in World University opener
Andratx, Span -- Georgia Lady Bulldogs Coco and Kelly Miller and the U.S. National Team opened play at the 1999 World University Games in impressive fashion with a 107-89 victory over China here on Monday.
Coco poured in 14 points, one of six U.S. players to reach double figures, while Kelly added six points and a team-high five assists.
The Americans broke open a tight contest midway through the first half, utilizing a 12-4 run to build a 38-28 advantage. The U.S. team connected on 60.5 percent of its field goal attempts in the opening stanza and ended the half with a 61-49 edge.
The victory was a costly one, however, as point guard Brandi McCain suffered a sprained knee and was lost for the remainder of the World University competition. LaQuanda Barksdale led all U.S. scorers with 15 points, while Coco and Helen Darling added 14, Brooke Wyckoff and Ruth Riley chipped in 13 and Camille Cooper scored 10.
The U.S. returns to action against South Africa today at 12:00 p.m. ET.
June 28, 1999
Millers Help U.S. Team To Spanish Tourney Title
Torrejon de Ardoz, Spain --- Georgia Lady Bulldogs Coco and Kelly Miller helped lead the U.S. National Team to the championship of the Spanish International Tournament here June 25-27.
The competition served as a tuneup for the squad's appearance in the World University Games next week.
After claiming blowout victories over both Portugual (92-39) and Mexico (96-44), the U.S. team claimed the title with a 56-52 victory over host Spain.
Kelly Miller was one of only two Americans to reach double figures in the scoring column in each of the wins, averaging 11.7 points. Coco Miller chipped in 8.3 points per game, third-best on the team. Kelly averaged a team-high 5.3 rebounds, including a game-high seven against Spain, and dished out a team-best 3.0 assists as well. Coco connected on a team-best .733 (11-of-15) percent of her shots from the field in the three wins.
In the process, the Millers became only the third set of female twins ever to represent the U.S. in international competition. In 1950, Ruth and Ruby Cannon helped the Americans to a gold medal at the Pan American Games, while Jenny and Krissy Kuziemsky of N.C. State were members of the U.S. squad that finished sixth in the 1990 R. William Jones Cup competition.
The Millers and the rest of the squad will open play at the World University competition in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, next Monday, July 5 against China at 12:00 p.m. EDT. The U.S. will face South Africa on July 6 and the Ukraine on July 7 with both games also starting at noon EDT. The quarterfinals will be held on July 9, semifinals on July 10 and medal-round games on July 12.
June 11, 1999
Katie Schutz To Join Landers' Staff As Asst. Coach
Katie Schutz, an assistant women's basketball coach at Emory University the past two years, has joined the University of Georgia's staff, head coach Andy Landers announced June 11, 1999.
"I'm excited about the experience and enthusiasm Katie will bring to our staff," Landers said. "Katie has a great work ethic, outstanding communications skills, and I know she will be a valuable asset to our staff and our team."
Schutz was a three-year starter as an undergrad at Emory, completing her career ranked sixth and eighth on the Eagles' all-time scoring and rebounding lists, respectively. In 1995, Emory reached the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Tournament and finished 21-6 overall. As a senior in 1996, Schutz was named the team's Most Outstanding Player after averaging 12.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
"I'm excited about the opportunity to work in a first-rate program at the Division I level," Schutz said. "Coaching at the Division I level has always been a goal of mine and to get that chance with this program and its tradition is amazing. I'm also looking forward to working with and learning from someone with the credentials of Coach Landers."
Schutz already has experience with two of Landers' proteges. She spent two seasons as a volunteer assistant with the ABL's Atlanta Glory, helping player/coach Teresa Edwards, a former Lady Bulldog, and associate coach Connie Guinn, a former UGA assistant, with scouting and film breakdown. Schutz will have similar responsibilities with the Lady Bulldogs.
Schutz received her bachelor's of Arts in Mathematics with a minor in Education Studies from Emory in May 1996. She spent the following year as an intern with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. There she assisted with the WBCA's summer camps program, as well as the 1997 NIKE High School All-America, which featured current Lady Dogs Coco and Kelly Miller.
A native of Walnut Creek, Calif., Schutz graduated from Monte Vista High School in 1991. Schutz was a four-year starter on Monte Vista's girls' basketball team, playing a pivotal role in the program's turnaround. After going just 3-169 overall during the 1980s, the Mustangs finished 22-7 overall, won the conference title and reached the quarterfinals of the Division II State Tournament in 1991, Schutz's senior season.
May 25, 1999
Millers Named to World University Games Team
Athens, Ga. --- Georgia juniors-to-be Coco and Kelly Miller have been named to the U.S. National team that will participate in this summer's World University Games in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, USA Basketball announced late Monday.
The Millers, twins from Rochester, Minn., helped the Lady Bulldogs to the NCAA Final Four and a 27-7 finish last season. Kelly led Georgia in scoring (18.5), assists (4.4) and steals (1.9), while Coco chipped in 18.4 points, 2.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
Kelly was a member of the prestigious Kodak All-America team last season. Both Millers were named first-team All-SEC by league coaches. Kelly was selected as the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament's Mideast Regional after scoring a career-high 33 points in the Lady Dogs' "Elite Eight' victory over Iowa State. Coco was named to the All-SEC Tournament team after helping Georgia reach the championship game.
"I'm really excited about this opportunity," Coco said. "I've heard how great it is to play overseas, and I think the competition will be excellent. I'm a really competitive person, and I have a lot of drive so hopefully we can win the gold. That would be great."
"I'm really excited and looking forward to the great experience and the great competition," Kelly said. "It's always been a dream of mine to play for the United States team, and it's going to be a lot of fun."
The Millers become the latest in a long line of Lady Dogs to compete internationally for the United States. All told, 19 current and former Georgia standouts have represented the U.S. in nearly 40 international competitions worldwide. Most prominently, Teresa Edwards and Katrina McClain have been the backbone of the U.S. National Team for more than a decade, combining to win five Olympic Gold Medals between them. Former Lady Bulldogs who have participated in the World University Games include: La'Keshia Frett (1995, '97), Carla Green (1989), Lady Hardmon (1993), Kedra Holland-Corn (1997), McClain (1985), Rhonda Mikes (1985) and Lisa O'Connor (1987).
The 1999 World University Games will be held July 1-13 in Palma de Mallorca. Competition is open to men and women between the ages of 17 and 28 (as of Jan. 1, 1999), who are, or have been within the past year, a student at a college or university. The women's basketball competition at the World University Games is slated for July 5-11.
The U.S. team will train in Colorado Springs, Colo., from June 14-23, then participate in a four-team tournament in Madrid, Spain, from June 25-27. Defending World University Games Gold Medalists, the U.S. women have earned 10 medals in 12 appearances in the competition dating back to 1973 and compiling an overall record of 64-12 in the process.
Georgia is annually one of the nation's top women's hoops team. Head coach Andy Landers, a three-time National Coach of the Year, recently completed his 20th campaign in Athens. The Lady Dogs have averaged 24.3 wins a year during his reign in Athens -- third best among all active Division I coaches with as much tenure. In addition, Georgia is one of only four schools in the country to reach the NCAA Final Four on five occasions (1983, '85, '95, '96 and '99), and the Lady Dogs' berths in 16 of 18 NCAA Tournaments rank as the second-best total in the nation.
Following Georgia's run to the 1999 NCAA Final Four in San Jose, Calif., the Lady Bulldogs now rank third nationally in NCAA Tournament wins (32) and games played (48).
April 19, 1999
Lady Bulldogs Add Second Spring Signee
Athens, Ga. --- Less than a month after their NCAA Final Four appearance, the Georgia Lady Bulldogs continued to build what should be an even more impressive roster for the 1999-2000 campaign as Tiaunna Briggans, a 6-1, forward, from Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College has signed a letter-of-intent to attend the University of Georgia this fall, head coach Andy Landers announced Monday.
"Tiaunna is a player with outstanding quickness who is an unbelievable rebounder for her size," Landers said. "Tiaunna can be a defensive stopper. Offensively, she has strong skills from the 15-foot range on in, including good back-to-the-basket abilities."
Briggans averaged 8.6 points and 8.9 rebounds for Coffeyville last season, while collecting 35 steals (third-best on the team). She was known as the Red Ravens' best defender, often drawing the opponent's top offensive threat no matter what their position. Coffeyville finished the season 21-9, losing to Seward County Community College in the NJCAA Region VI Tournament. Seward later finished fifth at the National Tournament. Briggans was a third-team All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference selection and recently scored 15 points and grabbed 15 rebounds at the league's all-star game in Arkansas City, Kan.
"I looked at education first (in making a decision)," Briggans said. "Everyone at Georgia was very friendly and no one tried to pressure me. They let me make my own decision. I also liked the fact that Georgia plays in the best conference in the nation."
Briggans is a native of Denver, Colo., where she was a prep standout at Montbello High School. As a senior, she helped lead Montbello to a perfect 24-0 record and the Colorado 5A State Championship. She was a second-team All-State Tournament pick as a senior. A three-year starter at Montbello, Briggans was named first-team All-Denver Public School League as a senior, after being named second-team as a junior and honorable mention as a sophomore and freshman.
Next year's Lady Bulldogs are expected to be a consensus top-five pick during the pre-season. Georgia loses just one senior off a 27-7 team and returns eight players who started seven or more games last season. Briggans will arrive in Athens with her Coffeyville teammate Shala Crawford, a 6-4, forward, who signed with the Lady Bulldogs on April 9. Additional signees during the fall early signing period included: Mary Beth Lycett (6-0; G-F; Morrow, Ga.); Tina Taylor (5-6; G; Longview, Tex.); and Tameiko Washington (5-10; G; Sandersville, Ga.).
Landers, a three-time National Coach of the Year, recently completed his 20th campaign at Georgia. The Lady Dogs have averaged 24.3 wins a year during Landers' years in Athens -- third best among all active Division I coaches with as much tenure. In addition, Georgia is one of only four schools in the country to reach the NCAA Final Four on five occasions (1983, '85, '95, '96 and '99), and the Lady Dogs' berths in 16 of 18 NCAA Tournaments rank as the second-best total in the nation. Following Georgia's run to the 1999 NCAA Final Four in San Jose, Calif., the Lady Bulldogs now rank third nationally in NCAA Tournament wins (32) and games played (48).
Former Lady Bulldog players have also played an integral role in the formation of professional women's basketball in the U.S. Georgia produced nine of the "top 50" players selected in the first two ABL drafts in 1996 and 1997, the most of any school in the country.
April 9, 1999
Lady Dogs Ink Nation's Top JUCO Standout
Athens, Ga. --- The depth which helped Georgia's Lady Bulldogs reach the NCAA Final Four last month got much more impressive on Friday when head coach Andy Landers announced the signing of 6-4 forward Shala Crawford from Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, the top-ranked junior college prospect in the nation.
"Shala offers the complete package," Landers said. "She has excellent size and strength at 6-4 and also has very good running ability. Shala has excellent basketball skills that extend beyond the high post and a very good sense of the game relating to low post play."
A native of Mansfield, Ohio, Crawford was listed as the No. 1 junior college prospect in the nation by the National Basketball Report, while the All-Star Girls Basketball Report and The Women's Basketball Journal both ranked her No. 5. Last season at Coffeyville, Crawford averaged 17.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks while leading the Red Ravens to a 21-9 finish. Crawford, who was named first-team All-NJCAA Region VI and All-Kansas Jayhawk CC Conference, is excited about playing for the Lady Bulldogs.
"I've wanted to come to Georgia ever since I was in high school," Crawford said. "I'd seen the team and the great players like La'Keshia Frett, Tracy Henderson and Saudia Roundtree, and I knew about the other great players that played there like Katrina McClain and Teresa Edwards. I always want to play against the best competition, and the SEC is the best league in the nation."
Coffeyville lost to Seward County CC by three points in the NJCAA Region VI Tournament. Seward eventually finished fifth at the National Tournament. Coffeyville coach Craig Brookover believes Crawford can make an immediate impact.
"I don't think there's any question Shala was the best big player in junior college basketball this season," Brookover said. "We're happy as heck she's chosen to join a program like Georgia."
As a freshman, Crawford played at Central Florida Community College, averaging 20 points and 12 rebounds on a team which finished 29-1. She was a three-year starter at Mansfield Senior High School where as a sophomore, junior and senior she was named first-team All-Conference, All-District and All-Region, as well as honorable mention All-State. Crawford was named Mansfield's Most Valuable Player after leading the team in scoring and rebounding all three seasons. She also led the conference in scoring and rebounding as a sophomore and a senior.
Next year's Lady Bulldogs are expected to be a consensus top-five pick during the pre-season. Georgia loses just one senior off a 27-7 team and returns eight players who started seven or more games last season. Crawford is Georgia's fourth signee slated to join the Lady Dogs next season, During the fall early signing period Landers signed: Mary Beth Lycett (6-0; G-F; Morrow, Ga.); Tina Taylor (5-6; G; Longview, Tex.); and Tameiko Washington (5-10; G; Sandersville, Ga.).
Landers, a three-time National Coach of the Year, recently completed his 20th campaign at Georgia. The Lady Dogs have averaged 24.3 wins a year during Landers' years in Athens -- third best among all active Division I coaches with as much tenure. In addition, Georgia is one of only four schools in the country to reach the NCAA Final Four on five occasions (1983, '85, '95, '96 and '99), and the Lady Dogs' berths in 16 of 18 NCAA Tournaments rank as the second-best total in the nation. Following Georgia's run to the 1999 NCAA Final Four in San Jose, Calif., the Lady Bulldogs now rank third nationally in NCAA Tournament wins (32) and games played (48).
Former Lady Bulldog players have also played an integral role in the formation of professional women's basketball in the U.S. Georgia produced nine of the "top 50" players selected in the first two ABL drafts in 1996 and 1997, the most of any school in the country.
March 8, 1999
Lady Bulldogs Receive 16th NCAA Bid
The Georgia Lady Bulldogs are the No. 3 seed in the Mideast Regional of the 1999 NCAA Tournament bracket announced Sunday and will host first- and second-round action this weekend at Stegeman Coliseum.
The Lady Dogs (23-6) will host No. 14 seed Liberty University (21-7) on Saturday at approximately 8:15, 30 minutes after the completion of the other first-round matchup in Athens between No. 6 seed Toledo (25-5) and No. 11 seed SMU (19-10).
Saturday's winners will meet on Monday night at 8:00 for the right to advance to the Mideast Regional's "Sweet 16" round the following Saturday at the Shoemaker Center in Cincinnati.
Saturday's matchup will be the first ever between the Lady Bulldogs and Liberty, the Big South Conference champ.
Georgia is 1-0 all-time against Toledo and SMU. The Lady Bulldogs defeated Toledo, 85-52, in the semifinals of the Northern Lights Invitational in Anchorage, Alaska, during the 1996-97 season. Interestingly, that was the game in which current sophomore Kiesha Brown suffered a season-ending knee injury. Georgia topped SMU, 95-65, in its 1995-96 season opener at the ODU Dial Classic in Norfolk, Va., the first game of senior Pam Irwin-Osbolt's collegiate career.
Tickets for NCAA Action On Sale at Georgia Ticket Office
Tickets for this weekend's first- and second-round action of the NCAA Tourney are on sale this week at the UGA ticket office in the Butts-Mehre Building. All tickets are general admission but can be purchased in advance to be left at will call through the ticket office by calling 706-542-1231 or toll free throughout Georgia at 877-542-1231.
Only "books" with tickets for both days of action will be sold prior to Saturday. Those packages are $15 for adults and $10 for students college age with an ID or high school age and younger.
Single-day tickets for Saturday's games will go on sale at 4:30 p.m. at Stegeman Coliseum. Those tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for students college age with an ID or high school age and younger.
Single-game tickets for Monday's second-round game are also $10 and $6 and will be on sale at the UGA ticket office all day Monday and at the Coliseum beginning at 6:30.
Sixth Time in the Mideast
The 1999 NCAA Tournament represents the Lady Bulldogs sixth placement in the Mideast Regional of the championship bracket. Georgia was a Mideast regular during the 1980s, appearing there for the 1983, '84, '86, '88 and '89 editions of the "Big Dance."
Lady Bulldogs are Among NCAA Tournament Leaders
This year's bid marks Georgia's 16th in the 18 years the NCAA has conducted a championship tournament for women's basketball - the second-best tally any school in the nation can boast.
Entering this year's tourney, the Lady Dogs' totals of 43 NCAA games played and 28 NCAA wins rank third and fourth in the nation, respectively, while Georgia is one of only four schools to reach the Final Four on four occasions.
March 1, 1999
Lady Bulldogs Await NCAA Tourney Bid
After advancing to the championship game of the SEC Tournament last weekend, Georgia's Lady Bulldogs will sit back and wait to see where they will be seeded for the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The bracket will be announced Sunday afternoon at 5:00.
With a bid, Georgia will receive its 16th invitation among the 18 championships for women's basketball the NCAA has conducted. The Lady Bulldogs are one of only four teams in the nation to reach four NCAA Final Fours, doing so in 1983, '85, '95 and '96. In both 1985 and '96, Georgia advanced to the championship game.
Despite losing to Tennessee in the SEC final, the Lady Bulldogs are expected to receive a top-four seed in one of the NCAA Regions and therefore host first- and second-round games. Opening-round games will either be played on Friday, March 12 or Saturday, March 13, with the second-round games played two days thereafter. Which dates Georgia will play on will not be announced prior to the unveiling of the bracket.
Revenge Tour One Win Short
The Lady Bulldogs exacted revenge on two of the four teams to defeat them this season during the SEC Tourney, knocking off Mississippi State and Kentucky.
Georgia topped Mississippi State 72-66 in the quarterfinal round. The SEC's other Lady Bulldogs had topped UGA 78-72 on Jan. 31 in Starkville.
In the SEC semifinal round, the Lady Dogs defeated Kentucky, 68-62. The Wildcats upset Georgia 80-76 on Feb. 7 in Lexington.
The Lady Bulldogs fell to Tennessee in the final, 85-69, the Lady Vols' third win over Georgia this season.
Vanderbilt, the only other team to defeat the Lady Bulldogs, fell to Florida in the opening round of the tourney.
Miller Passes Millennium Mark In Second-Fastest Pace Ever
With 24 points against Tennessee last Sunday, All-SEC guard Kelly Miller passed the 1,000-point career scoring plateau in just her 57th collegiate outing.
That represents the second-fastest progression to the milestone in Lady Bulldog history. Four-time All-American Janet Harris reach the mark in an unfathomable 46 games, while the previous second-best pace was 64 games by Saudia Roundtree and Wanda Holloway.
Twin sister Coco Miller is also closing in on the 1,000-point mark. She will enter the NCAA Tournament five points shy. Interestingly, Coco missed a game against Vanderbilt last season with the flu and therefore could equal her sister's record of a 57-game trip to 1,000.
McDonald Joins Blocks Leaders
Even David Copperfield would be proud of Tawana McDonald's ability to magically appear among the NCAA leaders for blocked shots this week.
Actually, McDonald had not been listed because she missed the first seven games of the season with a sprained knee and had not participated in the required 75 percent of Georgia's games played to be ranked until Saturday. Her average of 2.1 rejects per game will lead the SEC and should rank between 15-20 nationally.
February 22, 1999
Georgia Heads to Chattanooga as No. 3 Seed
After suffering through a 1-4 slump between Jan. 28-Feb. 14, the Lady Bulldogs rallied in fine fashion during the regular season, finishing the campaign with impressive victories at Florida and in Athens over Arkansas.
Georgia completed its SEC slate at 9-5, tied with Auburn for third in the league standings behind Tennessee (13-1) and LSU (10-4); however, the Lady Dogs garnered the No. 3 seed by virtue of their 98-76 win over Auburn on Jan. 17.
On Friday night at 9:30 p.m. ET, UGA will face winner of Thursday's first-round game between sixth-seeded Mississippi State and 11th-seeded Arkansas.
The Lady Dogs will be attempting to end a recent streak of misfortune in the SEC Tournament. Georgia has dropped its opening game each of the last three years.
"The SEC is the best league in the nation," Andy Landers said. "There are a lot of good teams that have gone home after one game in the SEC Tournament. We just happen to be one of them during the past three seasons."
Georgia lost to Mississippi State, 78-72, in Starkville, while the Lady Dogs swept Arkansas in two meetings. UGA won in Fayetteville, 68-59, and Athens, 98-82.
Georgia Notches Two More TV Wins to Continue Strong Run
With televised victories over both Florida (Sunshine Network) and Arkansas (FOX Sports South) last week, the Lady Bulldogs improved to 5-0 in televised games this season.
That raises Georgia's all-time record on the tube to 48-24 (.667), dating back to the 1982-83 campaign. The Lady Dogs are an even more impressive 30-8 (.789) since the beginning of their 1994-95 Final Four season.
Georgia's first-round SEC Tournament game will also air on FOX Sports South.
February 15, 1999
Georgia Looks to Regroup Versus Familiar Opponents
The Lady Bulldogs, who this week fell out of the top 10 in the Associated Press poll for the first time this season (to No. 14), look to reverse their fortunes of late during the final week of the regular season. Georgia travels to Florida on Thursday and hosts Arkansas on Sunday, two teams the Lady Bulldogs defeated earlier during the campaign.
Sunday's game will serve as both "Senior Day" and "Kids Day." Pam Irwin-Osbolt, Georgia's only senior, will be honored prior to the game, while all youth high school age and younger will be admitted free of charge.
But the Georgia team of the past two weeks does not resemble the squad which opened the season with a best-ever start of 14-0 and became one of only three Lady Bulldog units to begin 18-1. Since that point, Georgia is just 1-4.
The Lady Dogs own a 26-6 lead in their all-time series with the Lady Gators, including an 84-72 triumph in Athens back on Jan. 7. Georgia is 12-3 in Gainesville; however, Florida handed the Lady Dogs a 94-61 thumping there last year, which was the worst SEC loss in UGA history at that time.
Georgia is 12-1 against Arkansas, including a 4-1 mark at Stegeman Coliseum. On Jan. 21 in Fayetteville, the Lady Dogs topped the Lady 'Backs 68-59.
A year ago, Georgia entered the final week of the regular season looking for wins over Florida and Arkansas to help secure an NCAA Tournament bid and responded with 79-62 and 86-81 victories over their SEC rivals.
Anatomy of a Slump: The Numbers in Black & White
After racing to an 18-1 start, only the third time the Lady Bulldogs have opened a season as quickly, Georgia is just 1-4 in its last five outings.
The tailspin in the win column is perhaps even more dramatic when examining the statistics of the Lady Dogs and their foes during the two stretches.
Statistic 18-1 1-4 Diff. Margin of Victory +22.6 -6.2 -28.8 UGA Points 88.2 69.2 -19.0 Opp. Points 65.6 77.8 +12.2 Rebound Margin +3.2 -4.0 -7.2 UGA FG Pct. 47.8 41.4 -6.4 Opp. FG Pct. 39.7 45.2 +5.5 UGA 3FG Pct. 34.3 26.2 -8.1 Opp. 3FG Pct. 27.0 45.1 +18.1 UGA FT Pct. 75.0 59.7 -15.3 UGA Assists 18.5 15.8 -2.7 UGA Turnovers 16.0 19.8 +3.8 UGA Steals 11.4 10.0 -1.4
Lady Dogs, Lady Gators to Be Televised By Sunshine Network
Thursday's game at Florida will be televised regionally by the Sunshine Network, marking third time in the last four seasons the Lady Bulldogs and Lady Gators have squared off on the tube.
On Jan. 25, 1996, National Player of the Year Saudia Roundtree poured in a then-career-high 32 points to lead UGA to a 72-61 win on SportsChannel. That victory was the Lady Bulldogs' fifth straight over a nationally ranked foe and led to Georgia's ascension to No. 1 in both national polls the following Monday.
A year ago, Kelly Miller scored 28 points to help the Lady Dogs to a 79-62 win on the Sunshine Network.
Georgia is 3-0 in televised games this season, defeating both Stephen F. Austin (81-70) and Auburn (96-78) on FOX Sports South and Georgia Tech (88-82) on MediaOne, the local cable provider for a majority of Atlanta and the surrounding metropolitan area.
February 8, 1999
Lady Bulldogs Struggling to Reach 20-Win Plateau
A week-and-a-half ago, it looked as if the 1998-99 Georgia team, which opened the season with a best-ever 14-0 start, would challenge for the quickest progression to the 20th win as well. Now the marker has become somewhat elusive as the Lady Dogs have dropped three of their last four.
The 1985-86 Lady Bulldogs were the fastest to 20 victories, reaching the plateau in only their 21st game en route to one of two 30-win seasons in Georgia history. Georgia was 18-1 entering its Jan. 28 game with top-ranked Tennessee, but a loss to the Lady Vols ensured the Lady Dogs would not equal the 1985-86 pace.
Before their Jan. 31 loss at Mississippi State, the Lady Bulldogs still had a chance to equal the 1983-84, 1990-91, 1994-95 and 1995-96 teams in starting 20-2. Georgia won SEC titles in 1984, '91 and '96, while the 1995 and '96 teams both reached the NCAA Final Four.
The Lady Dogs still would have equaled the efforts of the 1984-85, 1986-87, 1988-89 and 1989-90 units in opening the year 20-3 but fell at Kentucky on Sunday afternoon. Georgia will now have to wait a week to get another crack at reaching 20 wins for the 16th time in Andy Landers' 20 seasons in Athens.
Loss at State, Win at Carolina Both Head-Scratching Affairs
Sometimes even the best indicators get totally knocked out of whack, like during the Lady Bulldogs' recent outings at Starkville in Columbia.
In losing at Mississippi State, Georgia:
While beating South Carolina, Georgia:
Kelly Miller Quickly Closing on Millennium Scoring Mark
Kelly Miller has been a model of consistency during her two-year career in Athens. Through 51 games played, Miller has 49 double-digit scoring tallies to her credit. Now she has a chance to become only the third sophomore in Lady Bulldog history to reach the 1,000-point scoring mark in her second season.
Miller has scored 917 points through the Kentucky loss. With three regular-season games to play, and the SEC and NCAA Tournaments remaining as well, Miller could equal Janet Harris and Wanda Holloway as the only sophomores to reach 1,000 points.
Twin sister Coco could challenge the mark as well if Georgia goes deep into the SEC and NCAA events. Coco has scored 865 points entering this weekend's date with Vanderbilt.
February 1, 1999
0-2 Week Tells Tale of Different Performances
Though Georgia dropped both of its games last week, head coach Andy Landers saw only one similarity in the outings, the addition to the 'L' column each game provided. Other than that, the two contests provided little comparison.
Last Thursday against top-ranked Tennessee, Georgia played well for a majority of the contest, even leading by four points with 16:00 left, before the Lady Vols surged to victory.
"We played with the type of championship effort that it takes to make a run at a title," Landers said. "However, we did not play with a championship intellect."
Such praise was not offered following the Lady Dogs' 78-72 loss at Mississippi State on Sunday.
"We simply weren't ready to play," Landers said. "When kids aren't ready to play, when they're not motivated, this is what happens."
With the losses, Georgia dropped to No. 8 in this week's Associated Press poll, the Lady Bulldogs' lowest ranking of the campaign. The USA Today/ESPN poll had not been released at press time.
SEC Road Swing Continues
The Lady Bulldogs will complete a three-game road trip with dates at South Carolina on Wednesday and at Kentucky on Sunday.
Georgia owns a 16-2 advantage in its all-time series with South Carolina, including five straight wins and a 6-1 mark in Columbia.
The Lady Dogs are 17-7 all-time versus Kentucky, with a four-game winning streak in tow. Georgia is only 6-5 in Lexington, however.
Sunday's game features a matchup between Andy Landers and former player and assistant coach Bernadette (Locke) Mattox. Mattox played for Landers at Roane State Community College in 1978 and '79 before transferring to UGA when Landers was named head coach in 1979. She went on to become the Lady Bulldogs' first All-American and Academic All-American during a stellar two-year career in Athens.
Mattox was an assistant on Landers' staff for seven seasons before leaving to join Rick Pitino's staff in 1990 and become the first female assistant for a major Division I men's program ever.
Sellout Crowd Packs Stegeman for Showdown With Lady Vols
A capacity crowd of 10,523 was on hand for the last Thursday's matchup between No. 1-ranked Tennessee and the No. 4 Lady Bulldogs. That marked the second sellout in Lady Bulldog history and had a dramatic impact on Georgia's average attendance for the 1998-99 campaign.
Georgia's tally jumped from 2,461 to 3,267 and probably pushed the Lady Bulldogs up at least 10 positions in national attendance averages. Through five SEC home dates this season, Georgia is now averaging 5,031 spectators per game.
With two Sunday afternoon home dates remaining on their home slate, the Lady Bulldogs could challenge their best-ever average attendances tallies for both the regular-season (3,537) and overall (3,368) established during a 1996-97 SEC Championship campaign.
January 25, 1999
Lady Dogs Host Tennessee in Top 5 Clash
For only the fifth time ever, two top-five women's basketball team will clash in Stegeman Coliseum as No. 4 Georgia entertains No. 1 Tennessee on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m.
Georgia is 2-2 in such meetings. Most recently, No. 1 Connecticut defeated the No. 5 Lady Dogs 97-65 in an MLK Jr. Day nationally televised game during the 1997 season. That game was the only sell-out in Lady Bulldog history, with another huge crowd expected to be in attendance for this week's showdown between the top two programs in the SEC.
Other meetings of top-five teams in Athens include a 70-66 win by No. 3 Georgia over No. 5 Auburn on Feb. 23, 1991; a 93-61 drubbing by the No. 2 Lady Dogs of No. 4 Western Kentucky on Feb. 10, 1986; and an 83-69 loss by No. 1 Georgia to No. 3 Texas on Nov. 24, 1984.
The Lady Vols and Lady Bulldogs rank No. 1 and No. 6 in the current all-time Associated Press poll, respectively, compiled by combining the final polls from each of the 22 seasons the news service has featured weekly rankings.
The Lady Dogs and Lady Vols were also ranked No. 4 and No. 1 in the weekly polls two weeks ago when they met in Knoxville, a 102-69 UT win. Thursday's game equals the highest combined rankings by the teams at game time.
Coupons for buy-one, get-one free tickets to the game are available at Athens' area Chick-Fil-A restaurants and on Domino's Pizza boxes. In addition, free souvenir cups will be given to the first 2,000 fans courtesy of BellSouth The Real Yellow Pages.
Pam Passes 1,000; Equals Roundtree on All-Time List
Georgia's quiet leader, senior Pam Irwin-Osbolt, quietly reached a major milestone on Jan. 17 against Auburn, becoming the 18th Lady Bulldog ever to surpass 1,000 career points.
Irwin-Osbolt reached the millennium milestone with a three-pointer with 31 seconds left in the first half -- the third of her three key long range bombs over the final 4:29 of the period.
Irwin-Osbolt scored 11 points off the bench in the Lady Bulldogs' 81-43 win over Ole Miss to raise her career total to 1,038 points in a Georgia uniform, equaling the tally of her former teammate and the 1996 National Player of the Year Saudia Roundtree.
Millers Enter the Week Tied
Coco Miller's 21 points against Ole Miss brought her equal with her twin sister Kelly's tally for the season at 361.
Kelly entered the game with the Lady Rebels' sporting an eight-point advantage over her sister but scored just 13 points.
The Millers have swapped the top spot on Georgia's stat sheet for team-high scoring four times this season and have been tied twice.
Win 17 Again in Fayetteville
With last Thursday's 68-59 victory over Arkansas, the Lady Bulldogs equaled their total wins all of last season at 17.
Ironically, a year ago Georgia also collected win No. 17 at Bud Walton Arena; however, that came in the final outing of the regular season and was the Lady Dogs' last 'W' of the campaign.
January 19, 1999
Grueling Stretch Ends With Trip to Arkansas
Georgia's Lady Bulldogs complete a demanding seven-day, four-game stretch in fine fashion on Thursday night, traveling to Fayetteville, Ark., to face the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks, a 1998 NCAA Final Four participant.
The Lady Dogs began the swing with a 102-69 loss at No. 1 Tennessee on Thursday. Georgia rebounded for an impressive 96-78 triumph over No. 25 Auburn in Athens on Sunday before knocking off arch-rival Georgia Tech less than 24 hours later, 88-82.
Head coach Andy Landers believes the games will help his team's mental development as much as learning to deal with the physical exertion.
"We're still a young basketball team that need to grow in many ways. This is just one of them," Landers said. "Later on, I hope we're playing games like these at the SEC Tournament for three or even four consecutive days. Your ability to prepare and refocus quickly are very important then."
T. Mac Has Career Day
Freshman Tawana McDonald, who missed the first seven games of the season due to a sprained knee, turned in her most complete outing of the campaign in Georgia's 88-82 win over Georgia Tech on Monday afternoon.
McDonald equaled her career high with 18 points, grabbed nine rebounds and rejected a career-high five shots. Andy Landers was more impressed with the final number on her linescore, literally.
"You look at a box from today and you see 6 of 11 on field goals, good, 6 of 8 free throws, good, nine rebounds, good, two personal fouls, good, five blocks, good, and two steals, good," Landers said. "But the most impressive number is there at the end -- 31 minutes. Tawana is only going to get better the more she plays."
Miller Establishes FT Mark
Sophomore Kelly Miller took exclusive rights to a Georgia individual record last Sunday afternoon against Auburn, at Katrina McClain's expense.
Miller hit 16 of 18 attempts from the free throw line to better the Lady Bulldog mark for free throws made by one. Previously Miller had shared the record with McClain.
The Rochester, Minn., native hit 15 from the charity stripe against Central Michigan on Dec. 18, 1997. That equaled the number made by McClain against South Alabama back on Nov. 29, 1986.
Miller's totals also surpassed the Lady Dogs' Stegeman Coliseum records for free throws attempted and made. The previous marks were 11 made by Camille Lowe against UNC-Charlotte on Jan. 14, 1991 and by McClain versus Kentucky on Feb. 23, 1986, and 15 attempts by Tammye Jenkins against Florida back on Jan. 8, 1989.
Record Start Meets Halt
Last Thursday's loss at No. 1 Tennessee ended the best-ever start by the Lady Bulldogs at 14-0. On Jan. 10, Georgia knocked off LSU to move to surpass the 1989-90 Lady Dogs' 13-0 mark for the best start in school history. The 14-game stretch also represented the fifth-longest winning streak in Georgia history overall.
November 11, 1998
Lady Dogs Open Early Period With Three Signees
Athens, Ga. --- The Georgia women's basketball team opened the early signing period with a bang Wednesday, inking three players to letters-of-intent. Head coach Andy Landers announced the Lady Bulldogs have received papers from Mary Beth Lycett, Tina Taylor and Tameiko Washington.
"We are extremely pleased with our early signings to this point," Landers said. "There is no question that we have taken a step to ensure the future success of Georgia Basketball."
Lycett, a 6-0, guard-forward from Morrow (Ga.) High School, was named Georgia Player of the Year last spring after averaging 18.9 points per game and leading the Lady Mustangs in every statistical category. Lycett helped Morrow to a 27-5 record last season and a final rank of No. 4 in Georgia for Class AAAA. She was invited to attend USA Basketball's tryouts for the National Team for the 1998 World Youth Games and was named first alternate to that squad.
"Mary Beth is a player whose progress we have monitored very closely throughout her high school career," Landers said. "She has developed under the tutelage of one of the most successful coaches in the state of Georgia, A.C. McCullers. She brings a tremendous ability to shoot the basketball from long range, as well as the versatility to play any position on the perimeter."
"This is pretty much a dream come true," Lycett said. "I'm excited to be a part of Georgia Basketball because of the national prominence and what the team strives to achieve. For the past couple years, I would come to games and see how intense the players were on the court and how hard the coaching staff worked. I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of."
"The University of Georgia got a good one," McCullers said. "Mary Beth is a combination of a very intelligent basketball player -- as exemplified by her 4.0-plus grade point average -- with a great understanding of the game. She is a tremendous shooter as well."
A 5-6, guard, Taylor has amassed a stockpile of statistics while playing for one of the most successful prep programs in Texas, Longview High. Taylor, who was listed as the No. 2 prospect in the state by the Texas Girls' Basketball Report prior to this season, needs 312 assists during her senior year to break the national girls' high school record. Longview has compiled a 99-11 record in Taylor's first three seasons and is ranked No. 1 in the state by Texas Basketball Magazine entering this year.
"Tina is considered by most people to be the most outstanding point prospect in the state of Texas," Landers said. "Longview High School has traditionally competed against the best teams in Texas and nationally. Tina's ability to penetrate, defend and score are all indications of how well she will fit into our up-tempo style"
"I really like the fast-paced game," Taylor said. "I'm comfortable with that and think I will fit in well. The Lady Bulldog tradition was a big factor (in my decision). I've always been a fan of a lot of the players who have come through there."
"Tina has started for us from day one, and she's gotten better every year," Longview coach Tommy Aldridge said. "I haven't seen anyone who can defend her off the dribble. She's got what I call the 'three As -- academics, attitude and ability.' Everyone at our school, students and faculty alike, respects her as a basketball player and as a person."
Washington, a 5-10, guard from Washington County High School in Sandersville, Ga., was an honorable mention All-America pick by USA Today following her junior season and is one of the most versatile players in the state, playing all five positions during her prep career. Washington averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists as a point guard during her junior season. As a sophomore, she averaged 13.0 points and 11.0 rebounds while primarily playing center.
"Tameiko is just an exceptional, exceptional athlete," Landers said. "She has great size and quickness and an exciting future ahead of her at the University of Georgia. We believe she has great versatility, possessing outstanding perimeter skills, as well as the physique and strength to go inside and mix it up with frontline players."
"I've always admired the players that Georgia has had, like Saudia Roundtree, Tracy Henderson and Kedra Holland-Corn," Washington said. "And I've always liked Coach Landers also. I'm excited to be part of the Lady Bulldog program."
"Though this is my first season working with Tameiko, I can already tell she is very coachable and a leader," Washington County coach Allen Gray said. "She exhibits leadership on the floor and leads by example too. I think she will fit in very well with Coach Landers' style of play."
Landers, who is preparing for his 20th campaign in Athens, has averaged 24.2 wins a year at Georgia -- third best among all active Division I coaches with as much tenure. In addition, Georgia is one of only four schools in the country to reach four NCAA Final Fours (1983, 1985, 1995, 1996), and the Lady Dogs' berths in 15 of 17 NCAA Tournaments rank as the second-best total in the nation.
Former Lady Bulldog players have played an integral role in the formation of the ABL and WNBA. Georgia produced nine of the "top 50" players selected in the first two ABL drafts in 1996 and 1997, the most of any school in the country.
Georgia has been ranked No. 7 and No. 10 in the nation in the pre-season Associated Press and USA Today/CNNSI polls for this season, respectively. The Lady Bulldogs open their 1998-99 campaign a week from this Sunday -- on November 22 -- when they host Oral Roberts at Stegeman Coliseum at 2:30 p.m.
